After trailing visiting Nicollet by 18 points at the break, the varsity girls showed signs of a pulse on Tuesday when they pulled within seven in the second half, but they ultimately fell to the Raiders 62-52.
It was a moral victory for the Clippers though, as the last time they faced the rival Raiders, back on December 12, they fell hard, 67-33.
“They could have easily hung their heads, but they fought back and came back,” said head coach Myrriah Rutz. “That’s something we are seeing more of little by little: not giving up and continuing to play the game.”
With baskets by Taylor McCabe, Kaitlyn Flowers, Emma Kortuem and Harper Rutz, the Clippers kept up early, but the Raiders buried back-to-back-to-back threes for a 27-10 advantage.
McCabe broke up the streak with a three of her own and followed up with another, but heavy on the steal, the Raiders limited the Clipper offense. After Olivia Reinhardt put in a basket, the Clippers, without a ton of offensive production, descended into the locker room trailing 35-18.
“Nicollet was big on trapping,” Rutz said.
Harper Rutz and Mollie Bowman scored early in the second half. Kortuem scored on a layup, Rutz made a shot from a distance, and McCabe made three of four free throws, but the Clippers were still behind by 16, 45-29.
The Clippers kept up the fight though. After three offensive rebounds, Brooke Bosse put in a basket off the bench and made the and-one after to start a nine-point spurt. The freshman followed up with an inside basket. After another McCabe basket, Bosse canned a jumper to pull the Clippers within seven, 45-38.
But that was as close as the Clippers could get, despite threes off the hands of Bosse and Rutz.
“Sometimes it takes a few defensive stops to get the offensive going,” Rutz said. “Brooke came in really strong and got some really tough rebounds and putbacks. She’s really worked hard on that game, so it’s good to see her get some of those buckets and the outside three is always fun to watch as well. She played a really strong game.”
McCabe made four two-point baskets, two threes and five of six free shots for 19 points. Harper Rutz added four twos and a three for 11 points. Bosse contributed three twos, a three and a free shot for 10 points, all in the second half. Kortuem made three two-point baskets for six points. Bowman, Flowers and Reinhardt each put in a basket from the floor.
The Clippers were six of 10 from the foul line. Nicollet parked five threes and 13 of 20 free throws. Kortuem’s cousin Jazmyn Goettlicher paced the Raiders with 23 points.
The Clippers, 5-5 in the Valley Conference and 6-10 overall, will have a chance to avenge a 75-67 loss when Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons comes to town today (Monday). The Knights are also 5-5 in the Valley and are coming off a 67-60 loss to GHEC/T/ML.
Above: Mollie Bowman drives to the hoop under pressure.
Taylor McCabe breaks away for a layup.
A Nicollet defender confronts Kaitlyn Flowers near the hoop.
Harper Rutz makes a move to the basket.
Ava Kluntz passes around a Nicollet defender.
The night was an opportunity for Sandy Friedrichs, mother of Wendy Kortuem, Misty Voit and Toni Goettlicher, to see four of her granddaughters on the court: from L-R, Emma Kortuem on the Clipper varsity team, Brylee Kortuem and Blair Voit on the Clipper junior high team and Jazmyn Goettlicher on the Nicollet varsity team. Also in the photo is her grandson Alex Kortuem, who went head-to-head with his cousin Jordan Goettlicher when the Clippers took on Nicollet earlier in the month. When it comes to watching her grandchildren compete against each other, Friedrichs says she cheers for the team with the ball.